Bacteria, fungi, and viruses are harmful organisms that invade your eye resulting in an eye infection. It can be any part of the eyeball such as the cornea and conjunctiva.
The symptoms of eye infections are the following:
- Redness of eye
- Pain
- Discharge in eye
- Watery eyes
- Dry eyes
- Sensitivity to light
- Swelling
- Itching
- Blurry vision
If you think that you have an eye infection, it is important to visit an eye doctor immediately instead of self-diagnosing. There are a lot of types of eye infections therefore, there is a particular treatment according to the type of infection you have.
A sample will be taken from your eye for culture to know the type of infection you have. Knowing this will help to determine the appropriate treatment that is designed for that type of infection.
Causes of Eye Infections
Conjunctivitis or also known as “pink eye” is a common eye infection among children because it is highly contagious. The risk of infection is increased when there is close contact.
Viral or bacterial is a common type of conjunctivitis. When the mother has a sexually transmitted disease, infants can acquire gonococcal and chlamydial conjunctivitis during birth.
Fungal keratitis is a fungal eye infection that is associated with Fusarium fungi that are found in organic matter. If you have a penetrating injury by a tree branch, these fungi can be present.
Acanthamoeba keratitis is a serious sight-threatening infection. To prevent this infection, contact lens wearers are advised to avoid wearing contacts while swimming.
Trachoma is common in under-developed regions and is known to be related to Chlamydia trachomatis. This infection targets inner eyelids and results in a scar. Oral antibiotics and good hygiene are important when controlling trachoma.
Endophthalmitis targets the interior part of the eye. It can occur from penetrating eye injury or rare complications of eye surgery. Without immediate treatment, blindness can occur.
Treatment for Eye Infections
The most common treatment for bacterial eye infections is antibiotic eye drops, ointments, and compresses. There are cases where viral eye infection fades on its own time but antiviral eye drop is given when there is a severe viral infection. Contact your doctor if the eye infection worsens.
You can prevent eye infection by always washing your hands. After being in a public area, do not touch your eyes until you wash your hands to minimize the risk of catching eye infections that are bacterial or viral.